This was paradise with nothing but the bluest skies above her and crystal clear seas beneath. She was sailing, the salty sea breeze in her hair and filling her lungs, sun warming her skin and worries melting away faster than the ice in her sangria. The carefree smile that pulled at her lips overtook her face and she could feel the happiness glowing within her for all to see. Henry was fishing off the back of the boat behind her and to her side sprawled a handsome man with eyes as blue as the sea, messy black hair and day old scruff. He smiled back at her with perfectly lined white teeth and laced his fingers through hers, tightly. And she let him. Encouraged him even, leaning into his touch, resting her forehead against his cheek. The sound of music was far away at first, but grew closer and closer until...

"Mom? Mom are you up?"

The voice made her gasp and spring up in her bed, the dream quickly forgotten. Her phone's alarm continued blaring a tune from its resting place on the nightstand and Henry's voice carrying from the kitchen.

"Shit," she whispered harshly to herself under her breath, throwing the covers off of her and catapulting herself out of their warm embrace, "I'm up! Get the eggs out of the fridge for me, kid! I'll be out in a second!"

Hardly paying attention to what her hands landed on, she grabbed a black tank top and some dark wash skinny jeans from her closet before clumsily bursting through the door connecting her bedroom to the condo's only bathroom. In a flurry she changed her clothes, throwing last night's pajamas behind her onto the carpet of her bedroom. Continuing to curse herself under her breath she brushed her teeth, splashed some water on her face and threaded her fingers through her long hair, twisting it into a messy braid that came to a rest over her shoulder. Pulling her tank top over her head at the last second before emerging from of the other bathroom door into the hall, she went straight to the coat closet next to the entryway and pulled out a pair of tall, sturdy brown leather riding boots. She carried the boots closer to the kitchen and used the countertop to steady herself while pulling them up her legs. Henry was standing next to the stovetop already cracking eggs into a large glass bowl, watching her in amusement. She caught his eye, twirled farther into the kitchen and bumped her hip into his side, playfully shoving him aside to take over breakfast duties.

"You're in a good mood," he smiled, moving out of her way.

"I actually got a decent night's sleep last night. Figured you'd be proud of me for getting my rest."

"I am. Good dreams?"

"You know I never dream…" she lied, turning her eyes to find the whisk from the utensil drawer. She was definitely not thinking about that handsome stranger and his sailboat. No way was she grasping to remember how his blue eyes had looked up at her from under thick black lashes. Nope. Only whisking those eggs and her to-do list.

"I've never bought that."

He took his usual seat at the barstool on the other side of the counter and watched as his mom, fully awake now, bounced about the kitchen. In an unusual turn of events, he had been up since around 6 am, sitting in the living room, reading a book and watching the sun rise slowly over the buildings, the city rising to life around him. But when 8:30 came around and he could hear his mom's alarm still going off is when he had gotten worried. She wasn't one to sleep in. Normally it was her greeting him from her seat at the bar, morning coffee in hand, as he would rub the sleep from his eyes and sway halfway unconscious across the hall and into the bathroom.

Emma's wrist whipped the whisk through the eggs before pouring the mixture into the awaiting skillet. Her next stop was at the toaster to push down two pieces of wheat bread before finally landing in front of the coffee pot, already set up from the previous evening. Her finger flipped the switch and the sweet sounds of Mr. Coffee doing his sacred duty filled her ears. She continued her usual day off morning routine of fixing their breakfast, unloading and reloading the small dishwasher and drinking her coffee. When the food was ready she slid one of their heavy blue plates over to Henry, poured him a tall glass of milk and retrieved his pills from the top of the refrigerator. He gulped them down as quickly as possible before starting in on his breakfast. Emma watched him carefully over her own plate, making sure he ate well. As soon as he was done, she pulled out her stethoscope and blood pressure kit. Normal, but on the low side… A side effect of his medications. Everything was recorded onto her phone.

"Did you submit that assignment last night?" she asked, putting the medical equipment away and taking up her coffee mug again.

"Yeah. Sent it in before bed. Thanks for your help."

"Good. Any homework this weekend?"

"Nope, I'm actually ahead of schedule…"

"I'll have to thank Mary Margaret for that later," she winked at him.

He moved from the stool back to his indention on the soft leather couch in the living area and flicked on the local news station.

"- so we should be seeing temps dipping down into the fifties by tomorrow evening. Meanwhile you can expect to enjoy sunny clear skies and a high of around seventy one today."

"Thank you, Laura. In other news -"

"Alright… turn that off, we gotta get moving. Tomorrow's a work day and there's stuff to do. Did you remember to return those library books?"

"Yeah, mom. Uncle David took me on Wednesday after he got off work."

"You pick up anything new?"

"A few things. But I'm trying to finish the ones Belle loaned to me before my checkup next month."

"I don't know how you keep all those stories straight in your head!"

"It's a talent, I guess. Some kids play football, I read." He shot her an almost sad smile.

"You're going to get a lot further in this life with reading than those kids who only have football!"

She pulled him close, put her arm around his shoulder and planted a kiss on the side of his head. The now empty mug was placed upside down in the sink. She grabbed her red leather jacket from its spot in the coat closet and motioned her head for him to follow suit.

"Grab your jacket and let's go."

"What do we have to do today anyway?" He pulled his light weight coat from its hanger and shrugged it over his shoulders.

"Market, you need a new pair of jeans, pharmacy, and then family dinner out at David and Mary Margaret's per Friday night tradition."

"Oh right… Let me use the bathroom before we go. There's probably traffic this morning."

"Good idea. Don't forget to wash your hands!" She called behind him as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

They stepped out into the mild sunny weather waiting for them outside. Emma's trusty old yellow Volkswagen bug was impossible to miss amid the line of cars on the street. She revved the engine awake and they were on their way.

They drove slowly through all of the city's morning commuter traffic. She listened to the radio on a low volume, humming along to the music occasionally, while he resumed his reading.

"You never get carsick doing that?"

"Nope."

"Lucky."

"Yep."

They both smiled, but neither looked at each other.

At the market, she dropped him off at the front while she parked the car then met back up with him.

They made their way around at a slow pace, Emma stopping frequently to pick up various fruits and vegetables as they went, feeling and thumping for freshness. He followed along behind her, only straying for a second to grab a box of frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts from the breakfast aisle.

"Can I get Pop-Tarts?"

"You know the answer."

"Please? I'll share. I'll eat one and you can have the other one." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes. She looked back at him, silently begging for his understanding as her mouth drew thin.

"Sorry kiddo. We have to stick to the program. What kind of mom or nurse would I be if I let you get away with that?"

"The best kind?"

"Nice try."

His shoulders fell in defeat and he went to put the bright blue box back in its spot on the neatly lined shelf. She sighed and wished he could get those Pop-Tarts. Wished she could buy him anything he wanted. She'd buy him the entire damn candy aisle at this point if she could… But anything high in sugar or sodium was not in the best interest of his heart. They had rules to follow. So follow them she did. Emma had done well to keep a close eye on his health and pulled him through the worst of odds over the years. She didn't intend to start letting him down now.

Buying a new pair of jeans was the hard part. Henry was sure he was going to die in that stupid department store. Not only did picking out new clothes always take forever, but the crowded stores always made him nervous. He just wasn't used to all those people packed into one place. Plus, he always felt like he wasn't moving fast enough for everyone else around him. They cut in front of him, sometimes sighing in exasperation at his sluggish pace, and it made him want to crawl in a hole. It was only made worse with his mom asking every time he had to try on another pair if he was okay or needed to take a rest. The slightest hint of being winded or needing to slow down even further made her jaw clench tight in worry. He didn't like when she looked at him like that. As if he might break or fall out at any second.

"Mom I'm fine. You know I just have to take it slow when we have to buy new clothes…"

"I know. Sorry. I don't mean to worry so much…"

"It's okay. I promise I'll tell you if I need to stop for a minute. I like this pair," he stood up and showed her that they fit.

"Good! Let's get them. Only one last stop and we can head to David's."

Waiting outside the changing rooms, brows furrowed and arms crossed securely across her chest, she leaned back against the door frame and lost herself temporarily in thought. She hated when her worry showed through. So much of her life was dedicated to making sure he felt as normal as possible. But when they had to do something that required degrees of physical exertion, like this trip to the store with all of the entailed walking and crowds... Not to mention repeatedly having to sit and stand while changing in and out of jeans… It made it impossible to hide her anxieties from him. Her hand drifted to the open cavity of her purse and searched for the blood pressure cuff settled on top of her wallet. Maybe when they got back in the car she would have him check it, just to make sure. No. First she would observe him to see if that were really necessary. If his cheeks were flushed or he seemed short of breath, she would make him check it. Emma took a deep breath and stole a passing glance at the watch on her wrist. It was almost time for him to take his midday medication.

"You almost done in there, Henry?"

He emerged, usual cute grin on his face holding up the pair of jeans like a trophy.

"Yeah. All done, mom."

When they got to the car she made him check his blood pressure anyway.

At the pharmacy, she paid for the refills and a bottle of water while he made use of the bathroom. Then before they left, she made him take his second dose of medication for the day, noting the time on her phone app. Even though they only ran a few errands, it was already time to drive to David and Mary Margaret's house for their weekly family dinner. A long standing tradition since she and Henry had moved to the city. So she pointed the bug in the direction of Beacon Hill and they were on their way.

They pulled up in front of the tall brick townhouse just as the gas lanterns lining the sidewalk began lighting for the evening. Her yellow bug always seemed so out of place on the cobblestone streets of the historic neighborhood. As the car rolled to a stop, Henry roused from the nap he had accidentally fallen into. Emma knocked at the front door and was ushered in by her brother David only seconds later. He no doubt had been sitting in the upstairs library, watching the street below for them. He gave Emma then Henry a quick hug before closing the door and leading the way downstairs to the kitchen, the smell of dinner wafting up the staircase made Emma's mouth water in anticipation.

"Hi Emma! Hi Henry!" Mary Margaret greeted them, decked in her usual apron. Emma went around the counter to put her purse on a barstool before hugging Mary Margaret tightly. Henry followed suit and greeted his aunt. She kissed his messy brown hair and asked about their day.

"We went shopping. I needed some jeans." Henry shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

"Oh to a mall?" She shot Emma a side eyed glance.

"First to the grocery store. Then the mall." He filled in, grabbing a roll from the bread basket on the counter. David took one as well. Emma filled a wine glass and sipped as slowly as possible, avoiding Mary Margaret's stare.

"Well! That sounds like a big day." She grinned at her nephew.

"I guess." He gave a small lopsided grin.

"Hey Henry, give me a hand with setting the table?" David asked him, picking up a few plates and nodding towards a small stack of silverware.

"Sure Uncle David."

They barely made it out of earshot to the family dining area behind the kitchen before Mary Margaret was on Emma.

"You took him to do all that?! In one afternoon!?" Her voice was a strained whisper so the men in the next room couldn't overhear.

"I didn't have a choice," she whispered back, "We really did need groceries and, I'm happy to say, he outgrew his last pair of jeans. Plus," she felt the need to add, "You know I don't like to treat him like he can't do things."

Mary Margaret braced her hands on the wooden countertop behind her, leaned back and gave a defeated nod. She knew.

"I know you worry. I do too. I must have driven him crazy at the mall today asking him if he was 'okay' or if he needed to stop and rest… Then I made him use the cuff when we got back to the car." She took a long drawn out sip of her wine.

"Well he seems fine tonight," Mary Margaret reassured her, looking over to where he and David were setting the table.

"Yeah… he's always such a good sport."

They put the food on serving plates and brought it out to where David and Henry were engaged in an analysis of the last Red Sox game.

They carried on through dinner and into the early evening, talking of their week and laughing with each other. Mary Margaret asked about the books Henry was currently engrossed in, his scores on the last few assignments he'd gotten back and if there were anything she could bring with her when she came to see him the next day. David continued their discussion about the baseball team, telling Henry he would check into getting permission to use his firm's box so they could go watch a game together before the season ended. That brought the biggest smile of the night from Henry and Emma was elated to see him so happy.

After everyone had their fill, Emma helped her brother clean off the table and moved what was left of the food back into the kitchen. Mary Margaret had taken Henry up the lift to David's office library so she could show him the latest find for her rare book collection.

"How are things at the firm?"

They stood side by side at the deep white porcelain sink to wash and dry the few dirty plates.

"Oh… you know. Busy as ever… I'm due in court on Monday for a client's first hearing. I'll be glad to be done with this one though. He's a former friend of Regina's but she was too busy to take his case."

"Nice guy, then?" She flashed a knowingly sarcastic smile.

"Oh just a bag full of sunshine. Sidney Glass. Used to work for the Boston Globe before losing his reputation to scandal. Real high-profile case. He hasn't stopped bitching that Regina should be working with him instead of me the entire time."

"Lovely. But also pretty good though, right? That she would trust you with this?"

"I guess… To be honest, I don't think she wanted the case in the first place. She told me she cut ties with Sidney some time ago. Realized what he was up to before it ever came to public light. Called him a snake when she handed it over to me. Or rather, threw his file on my desk telling me 'not to fuck up.' She hasn't wanted him associated with her for years now, but it's still a big case for the firm."

Emma giggled a little but David was less amused, rolling his eyes at his sister's teasing. Regina Mills, senior partner of his law firm, had built her empire of a career as one of the top legal minds in Boston by being calculating, cold and emotionally vacant. She strove for greatness and her ambitions knew no limits. Having come out of Harvard and taken Boston by storm only fifteen short years ago, she had already achieved what few other lawyers would in the lifetime of their careers. Regina Mills destroyed anyone foolish enough to stand in her way. Or at least… She used to. Emma met her only a few months after she and Henry first moved to Boston from Storybrooke, Maine. It was at the annual Christmas celebration and David figured Emma could use a party to take her mind off things for a few hours. Plus they were to have Santa as the guest of honor and he knew Henry would love that. So she agreed. Regina was one of the first people David introduced her to that night. And though the raven haired woman was quite callous and almost downright rude, however, later that night as the festivities drew to a close Emma caught her playing happily with four year old Henry in one of the back rooms. It seemed Regina couldn't help but get attached to David's nephew and always understood when he had to reassign his case load to help with his care. The shift in her demeanor and priorities only grew more obvious after meeting and falling for her now husband and his son. Something she never thought would happen. And though she was still a calculating terror to go against in the courtroom… Life outside of the firm had become quite different. Emma could still remember the shock of seeing Regina genuinely smiling at the last company picnic as she stood arm in arm with Robin, her husband. The charming man had silently watched his wife's red lips curl into an easy smile with so much pride that it warmed Emma's heart just to observe from a distance.

"Oh Regina likes you. She just has a hard time showing it."

David gave a crooked smile before sighing, "Yeah, I know."

It was getting late and she had to be up very early for work the next morning. Mary Margaret boxed up some leftovers for Emma to take for her lunch, goodbye hugs were exchanged and David walked them out.

"Be careful driving home. You okay? Feel alert enough?"

"Yes dad." She rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance.

"You love me and you know it. Talk to you soon. 'Night, Henry!"

"Goodnight, Uncle David!" Henry waved again.

David closed the car door and Emma pulled out for home, waving at him as she drove out of sight.

Henry made an attempt to help unload the groceries from the car, but Emma handed him the bag from the department store with his jeans in it before loading her own arms down with sacks. Two trips her ass.

While Henry got ready for bed, she piddled around in the kitchen putting away the food and setting up the coffee pot to start brewing at four the next morning. She stood at the kitchen counter and absentmindedly worked a crossword puzzle at the bar trying to relax enough to feel sleepy. But she kept drifting away, unable to concentrate. So instead she did what she did best and focused on Henry. Her phone was pulled from her back pocket and a spiral notebook from the little junk drawer next to the stove. She opened her notes app, swiped to the correct date and began recording his day onto the blank page of the spiral. His blood pressure readings, pulse, what time he took his medication, activity levels, etc. It was all neatly logged for future reference and doctor's appointments.

"Night, mom. You going to bed soon?"

She looked up and saw his concerned expression as he stood in the hall watching her. The pen was placed on top of the notebook and she stepped out from the kitchen, reached her arms out, and wiggled her fingers at him to exaggerate the gesture. He chuckled a little before moving closer and being tucked into her arms. She rubbed his back and rested her chin at the top of his head, which was getting harder to do as he was suddenly growing like a weed.

"I love you, Henry." She told him, just like every night of his life.

"Love you too, mom. See you after work tomorrow." He replied, going back down the hall to his room for the night.

A little later, after she had taken her nightly sauna of a shower and gotten back into her pajamas, she quietly slid into his room. She sat down next to his bedside and rested her back against the exposed brick wall behind her. His slow rhythmic breathing assured her that he was indeed fast asleep. Her fingers dug shallow trenches through her damp hair and her head tilted back between her shoulders. She stared up at the glowing star stickers that decorated his ceiling and smiled. When she bought him one pack two years ago to go along with his birthday present, it was only a matter of hours before she found herself online and buying dozens more since he just had to get all of the constellations exactly right, using charts of the sky as his guide. When it was done, he was so proud she thought he might burst. The rustling of his sheets as he flipped to his other side drew her attention back down from the stars. How many nights would she get to listen to the underratedly beautiful sound of his restful sleep? How long would that selfless heart of his really last? A week? A lifetime? She didn't know. And it wasn't fair. But instead of doing what he had every right to do and be sad or depressed over his health, he always found a way to stay positive and make do with what he had been dealt. And she couldn't be more proud of him for that. Because it was far better than she had ever reacted to the bad hands life so often dealt her… Pulling herself up, she kissed the crown of his head one last time for the day before she snuck back out and retired to her own bed.

When she woke again, dawn was still a good two hours away and her windows were dark as the night sky. Only overnight employees and those not quite ready to end their Friday night celebrations remained on the streets of Boston. She changed from her pajamas into her base thermals and topped them off with her scrubs before sweeping her hair back into a ponytail. A little foundation, so her tired face wouldn't look quite as pale, and a few swipes from the wand of her mascara to frame her green eyes and she was ready for the long day. Mr. Coffee had already finished his job so she poured a large serving of the black liquid gold into her travel thermos before grabbing up her coat and purse and scooting out the door, trying to make a quiet exit. Mary Margaret would get there around six, long before Henry ever woke up on a Saturday, and would remain with him until Emma returned home from her shift that evening.

This was her favorite time to be on the roads. As the sky shifted subtly from black to shades of amethyst and gold with the hint of what was to come. It sparked emotions within her that she couldn't quite define. There were so many memories from her past associated with sunrise… David and her sneaking out of their foster home to go to the docks just to see the sun come rising up out of the ocean depths; the time she and Neal stayed out all night, talking and driving, then watching the sunrise from that cliff outside Storybrooke before falling asleep wrapped up together in a heavy blanket in the backseat of the bug… Unfortunately, among all the good memories there were also the bad... The ones she couldn't forget if she tried. Like all the times the feelings of inadequacy had interrupted her sleep so badly that she would just give up and stay awake. Or the day after Neal confessed his affair to her and she sat, alone, unwanted and pregnant all night on the sandy shore waiting for the light of the new day. And of course the morning that would forever haunt her... sitting in the hospital window watching the sun creep up over the distant Boston skyline the morning after Henry was diagnosed because she hadn't been able to stop crying, let alone sleep. An arbitrary unit of measuring time that was assigned such heavy emotional associations. It hardly seemed fair.

"Good morning, Emma." her charge nurse greeted her as she stuffed her belongings into the locker.

"'Morning, Irene."

"After you get logged in, the patient in room twelve-o-two is waiting to receive their breathing treatment and twelve-ten is having a bronchoscopy in two hours."

"Okay, no problem. I'll be out there in a sec."

She took one last minute to take a deep breath and get her head in the game. Maybe she should take up yoga or something…

It seemed she spent all of her time at this hospital. Between her job on the pulmonology unit and Henry's frequent check-ups on the cardiology unit, hardly a day or two would go by without her making familiar rounds and seeing the now familiar faces. But it wasn't so bad… Working with the kids, the casual friendships she had established over time with the nursing staff, both her own co-workers and those in cardiology, it helped in a way. Those ties and knowledge made the hospital a less scary place and let her feel a little more in control of the situations. Which, for Emma, any sense of control over things in her life was everything. Especially with all the unknowns she constantly faced raising Henry…

Later that morning she sat in the break room and ate her leftovers and her thoughts turned to Henry and Mary Margaret. Her phone had been quiet so far today and she knew no news was always good news. She hoped he was enjoying his Saturday and feeling all right. When she wasn't busy tutoring him, Mary Margaret was always good about helping him find something fun or interesting to do.

Across the city Henry and Mary Margaret got out of their cab at Copley Square.

"It's just up the block. Are you sure you want to go?"

"I'll be fine Aunt Mary Margaret. I just have to see where you got that book."

"Okay. If you find something you like, just nudge me." She winked.

He fondly recalled the night before in David's office when Mary Margaret pulled the dusty book from the shelf and showed off the new treasure in her collection.

"Where did you find it?" He asked, eyes wide as the tips of his fingers grazed the ancient looking tome.

"A former colleague of mine from Emerson suggested I take a look at this bookstore over in the Back Bay district. The collection is really impressive."

"Can you take me?"

"I suppose we could take a cab over there some time if you'd like… It's not far from the library, come to think of it."

"I'd really like to go tomorrow if that's okay? I'm already ahead in my class. There's no homework this weekend."

"I think that's a great idea, then!" She flashed him a big smile.

After a short walk, they stood across the street from it. A small looking shop, he couldn't really make out much from within. A rather plain wooden sign hung by the door, marking the shop to the outside world.

"The Jewel of the Realm?" He asked, staring at the bookstore. It didn't seem like much from the outside.

"That's the one! Trust me, once you get inside you'll understand."

"If you say so." He shrugged nonchalantly.

AN: So this is my newest AU Captain Swan fanfic! Welcome and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please leave a review if you have a moment and I'll see you back again next chapter where we will meet the devilishly handsome owner of The Jewel of the Realm, Mr. Killian Jones. ;)